Automobile-lock



w. F, JENKINS.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 19x9.

1,376,885. Patented May 3, 1921.

WITNESSES Welt-0n 1". .finfu n8.

ATTORNEYS UNITED 71".

PiATENT OFFICE. l

WILTON F. JENKINS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

, AUTOMOBILE-LOCK.

automobile lock to beoperatively associated with the steering wheel and post of an automobile. V a

A further object of the? invention s to provide an automobile, 'lock of such construction and material that it cannot be broken without great difiiculty, thereby discouraging unauthorized removals of the au tomobile.

' Otherobjects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference be ing had tofthe accompanying drawing 111 which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the V automobile lock applied, also illustrating the manner of inserting the bolt and key,

' Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the improved lock applied to the fixed column,

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the fixed lock sleeve,

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the fixed lock collar, 0

Fig. 5 is a detail assembly perspective view showing various minor parts of the lock, and

Fig.6 1s a perspective view of the lock showing a slight modification of the arrangement of the locking casing.

That portion of the steering mechanism of an automobile to which this particular lock is applied, ordinarily comprises the fixed column 1, the steering wheel2 and a hub-like structure 3, which is a part of the steering wheel, and which is carried by the steering shaft 3. Applied to the fixed column 1 and abutting the hub 3, is the lock collar 4.

This lock collar and the lock sleeve 5 constitute the major parts of the improved automobile lock. The collar 4 is permanently fixed in place by means of a lock stud 6 at Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 15, 1919. Serial No. 311,001.

Patented May 3,1921.

one side'and a threaded plug 7 at the. other. The stud 6 is concealed from view but the plug 7 is accessible from the outside. A slight taper of the stud 6 enables the stud to be firmly driven or wedged into the open1ng'8 at the corresponding sideof the fixed column 1.- The'studfi has a non-circular head 9 which. occupies the neatly formed recess 10 in "the vthickened'side por; t1on 11 of the lock sleeve 5;.

Beveled portions 12 of the side walls of the recess 10 enable the easy finding of the recess when the lock sleeve 5 is slipped'up Wardly on the fixed column 1 in locating the lock sleeve in its final position with respect to the lock bar 4 and the hub 3) The sleeve 51s reduced at 13, withthe exception of the thickened portion 11, the reduction 13 having an internal flange 14 which forms an annular'shoulder to be engaged bythe collar 4. y V v,

The threaded plug 7 is screwed in by Ineansof the wrench 15, .until its set point is deeplyburied into the side ofthe fixed the lock sleeveand 'collar have alining threaded apertures16'17. Unless a person has a wrench exactly made to order, it is im ossible, or nearly so, to remove the plug That is the reason that it is of no consequence that the plug is accessible from the outside. After the plug is once firmly screwed in place, considerable force is re quired to remove it. It therefore follows that if the point of the wrench is too hard,

7 the wrench will snap, conversely if it is too soft, it will crumble in the hexagonal hole.

A looking casing 18 is suitably aflixed to the side of the lock sleeve 5. This casing contains a suitable lock of any type, for the purpose of locking the bolt 19 in position in the alining apertures 20, 21 in the sleeve 5 and hub 3 respectively. Fig. 1 shows how the bolt 19 is taken in the fingers of one hand in the act of feeling for the locking aperture 21. The operator takes the steering wheel and turns it from side to side at the same time pressing the ,bolt 19 inwardly, until he finds the locking: aperture. If desired, a plurality of locking apertures 21 column 1. For the purposes of the plug may be provided, so that the front wheels can be locked at an angle instead of straight to the front.

Instead of arranging the locking casing so as to be locked by the ke 22 from the side,

it may be arranged as in ig. 6, wherein the s bile lock will be apparent at once.

mechanism for locking the bolt 19 is such as to be operated from the end. It is desired to specify no particular type of lock because it is expected to have recourse to some suitable one of the many existing'types.

The advantages of the improved automoily, the lock is simple. The lock sleeve 5 is to be made of such material, as for example 7 case hardened steel, that cannot be cut into.

-The relative smallness of the lock and its secluded position beneath the steering Wheel tend to discourage efforts to break the lock by'unauthorized persons. 7

The lock collar 4 is fixed-in place first.

Then the lock sleeve 5 is slipped up and secured by the plug 7. Both the sleeve and collar are immovable, butof course the hub 3 is revoluble inside of tion of the lock sleeve. V 7

'While the construction and arrangement of the improved automobile look as herein 7 described and claimed is that of agenerally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes canbe made Without departing from the spirit ofthe invention orthe scope of the claims. 7

I claim: v p p 1 An automobile lock, comprising a collar to be applied to a fixed column,,said column housing a steering shaft,.a sleeve, Witha recess, concealing the collar; securing means carried by the collar, entering the column V and including a portion fitting in the recess; 7 V

other'securing means including a threaded stud passing through the'sleeve and collar Primal the upper cup por- 7 into the column, having an accessible head With a non-circular opening to receive a specially formed Wrench, a locking bolt to engage a part of the steering shaft, and a key-lock carried by the sleeve, for securing said bolt when in proper shaft-engagement.

2. The combination of a fixed column and automobile lock operatively associated with the aforesaid parts, comprising-a lock collar, means for fixing the collar on the column and including an exposed engageable part, a cupshaped lock sleeve receiving and concealing the lock collar and said engageable part thereby preventingturning, and. receiving the revoluble hub; means for securing the a revoluble steering Wheel With a hub, an

having a beveled-sided recess for said head,

and a bottom flange abutting the collar; ex-

7 'teriorly accessible common securing means for the sleeve, collar and column, a locking bolt capable of manipulation by the fingers to find a locking aperture in the revoluble hub of an associated steering Wheel, and'a suitable lock mounted on the sleeve for bind ingsaid bolt in the locking position.

WILTON JENK NS; 

